I never asked for that

I came to God with fashion sense
And clothes I bought at great expense
I knew the drill
All things down pat
God said, I never wanted that
I huddled with my life long friends.
Talk to strangers? That depends
I loved the show from where I sat
God said, I never wanted that.
I knew each song
I’ve heard them all
I’ve put his pictures on the wall
I cringed when someone’s song fell flat
God said, “I never wanted that.”
My i-pod has a thousand songs
Of worship stars before the throngs
On Sundays I step up to bat
God says I never wanted that.
He says, I want your heart to sing
and worship as me as rightful king
To come with sacrificial praise
To honor me in all your days
To drop your mask and foolish pride
for they’re not the reasons that I died
I conquered death to make you whole
Your LOVE has been my greatest goal
To vow your love and make it true.
Your love is what I want from you.

Bitterness

It’s hard to know where the seed of bitterness began
Perhaps before the dawn of man
When an angel of light,
Heaven’s delight
Wasn’t satisfied with reflecting someone else’s might.
And in bitterness he shook his fist at his Creator
Satan born
Now the author of scorn.
And in bitterness he roams the face of the earth
Killing…
Lying…
Hating…
Defying…
Bitterness snaked its way into the soul of nations,
Defiling God’s most precious creations.
Bitterness- born out of shame
for justifiable reasons of so it seems
“She left me without a word.”
“He broke my spirit.”
“My father never loved me.”
“No one listened to my side of the story.”
“Someone stepped in and took my glory.”
“The decision was made and I didn’t get a choice.”
You were deflected, neglected, corrected
And the resentment brewed in a putrid still
Intoxicating your life
With anger, backbiting, sorrow,
Tainting every hopeless tomorrow
With bitter nights
You drink your own poisonous nectar
You fantasize your moment of sweet revenge
Flames of rebellion begin to singe every moment of the day.
Resentment spoils every part of the road.
Instead of running to the healer
We find a place with a killer
Bitterness toils
It spoils
It recoils
It paralyzes fathers and mothers
Incites wars between sister and brother.
Instead of churches and an agent of grace
We choose nails and thorns and spit on Christ’s face
That’s what we do when we huddle in anger
The devil’s our father and Christ is a stranger
And runs through the church
Crushing every beautiful thing God blesses
Turning holy moments into public messes
Bitterness doesn’t care

Resentment grows in an insatiable feasts
Killing the bride
And feeding the beasts
of gossip, evil declaration
an unmerciful generation
it settles in our homes
it crushes our bones
it leads wives into despair
it kills children unaware
of the toxic venom
that settles within them
Bitterness breeds shame
It says, I’ll never trust again
It exiles pure joy to the wilderness
Making pain out of a marriage of bliss
You see it was bitterness and pride that sent Jesus to the cross
And yet we listen willingly to it, no matter the cost.
And there is bitterness in this room.
You might not see it right now
It’s like a dormant disease
Waiting for the command of demons
It can bring a church to its knees
And families stand before the gallows
Of opened wounds
What once was alive nested in the tombs.
All because of bitterness.
It took root.
Malice and rage are its scornful fruit
While well-meaning Christians stand and salute
the furious, unfettered rise of scorn
Born from the seeds of bitterness.
Still there’s another path God has given us
It’s a journey toward the bread and the cup
It’s offer of freedom
And blessing
And peace
It’s an offer to turn
An offer of release
From the bitterness that’s stealing every part of your life
From the sin you’re concealing – your anger and strife
The table has been set.
The offer is here.
To let go of regret.
And in peace draw near.
That’s the meaning of this wine, this bread and this time.
Banish your rage inside of you.
Return to the one who makes all things new.

I Keep Seeing You

 i saw You six days ago near a bus stop downtown. You stopped to help a drunken man. I went into a store for a notebook and some mints. You were still there when i came out. i passed him by. My agenda was my salvation.

And then there You were again—half past ten in the morning in the adolescent oncology wing. You were laughing with a child–hairless head. You whispered something to her and she pressed her ear to Your chest. Her eyes widened. What did You say?

i saw You in a pub, celebrating the birthday of a 50 year-old waitress named Betty Rae. i cannot say why, but it surprised me somehow that You were there.

Once more i saw You, Monday 2 a.m. i wondered if You were following me or if i was following You. You were in the kitchen of the Waffle House, serving hashbrowns and eggs to the chain-smoking trucker, his rig warm from the I-40 passage west to east. You knew his name. i overheard Your conversation. The life-weary driver went on and on. This was the third divorce for Ted. i didn’t believe his story. You did, as if You had been next door.

i keep seeing You, my Jesus, in the wanderlust of grace amazing. Deep calls to deep and bids me come.

Gates and Rocks

(Adapted from Matthew 7)

Narrator: Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad the way which leads to destruction . . .

Actor 1: Hey, it’s open. Wow!! This is great!

Narrator: . . . and many enter through it.

Actor 1: Come on, guys; there’s plenty of room in this party! (He/she walks through the imaginary gate and then mimes being destroyed.) Hey! Wait a minute . . . this isn’t what I expected. AUGH!!

Actor 2: (He/she mimes squeezing through an imaginary gate, straining as he/she speaks.) But small is the gate and narrow the road which leads to life, and very few find it.

Actor 3: (This is the character of Jesus.) Not everyone who says to Me . . .

Actor 4: (in a whiny voice) Lord, Lord . . .

Actor 3: . . . will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day . . .

Actor 4: Lord, didn’t You see me at church a bunch? I’ve been to church camp, disciple-training seminars, Christian-techno-new-wave-psychedelic-pretribulation rock concerts. I even know what the Book of Obadiah is about. I was even planning to attend the Southern Baptist Convention; but then, of course, You came . . .

Actor 3: Leave!

Actor 4: Excuse me??!?

Actor 3: Away from Me, you evil doers.

Actor 4: Don’t You know who I am?

Actor 3: I never knew you.

Narrator: As Jesus continued to speak, the people were amazed.

Actor 3: Therefore . . .

Narrator: Jesus concluded,

Actor 3: . . . everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who builds his house on the rock.

(Actor 2 becomes the house; the other actors personify the storm.)

Narrator: The rain came down, the streams rose . . .

Actor 2: Somebody get a bucket!

Narrator: . . . and the winds blew and beat against the house. (Actors beat on the back of Actor 2.)

Actor 2: Help!! I don’t think I can make it.

Narrator: Hold on to the rock!!

Actor 2: I’m trying!

Narrator: But it did not fall!

Actor 2: Whew! That was close!

Narrator: It did not fall because its foundation was on the rock.

Actor 3: But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not put them into practice is like the foolish man or woman, whatever the case may be, who built his . . .

Actor 1: or her . . .

Actor 3: . . . house on sand.

Actor 1: Sand?

Actor 3: Sand. (Actors mime action of storm with Actor 1 as house.)

Narrator: The rain came down,

Actor 1: I love the rain.

Narrator: . . . and the streams rose,

Actor 1: I think I can, I think I can.

Narrator: . . . and the winds blew . . .

Actor 1: No, not the wind! Anything but the wind!

Narrator: . . . and beat against the house . . .

Actor 1: Help me! Please!

Narrator: . . . and it fell with a great CRASH!

Actor 1: Crash! (falling to the floor)

Actor 3: He who has ears to hear . . . shhh . . . listen.

(c) Matt Tullos

You’re the Only You

Remember…
You’re the only one on the Earth
That could ever, at all, be you!
Your story is different your mind is unique
In all that you say and do.
I really believe we could change the world
As long as we are who we are.
Choosing to be the authentic YOU
Is better than masks by far!
The task is gigantic. The mission extreme
We can’t do it all alone.
God wants you to be who He made you to be
Not simply a self-righteous clone.
Don’t make the mistake of being like me.
That’s missing the point of it all!
God’s child you are and God’s child you will be
For the task whether big or small.
Yes, you’re the only one on this earth
That could ever at all be you
I’m so glad you are here, so glad you are near.
We got something big to do!

An Anniversary to Remember

 

He: Well so much for the anniversary date.

She: It was a good idea.

He: Thanks. Sorry some things got kind of—

She: Don’t mention it.

He: Really? You’re not mad?

She: Me? Nah.

He: Somehow I knew this was going to be one of those nights when I backed out of the garage without opening the garage door. I guess I was just keyed up. I just wanted everything to be right. We haven’t had a nice, romantic evening in a long time.

She: It’s too bad the garage door shattered the rear window of the car when it fell off the hinges but, on the other hand, the night air gave it the feel of a convertible. I liked it.

He: Thanks, Honey. How are your legs?

She: I think they’re getting better. I’m beginning to regain feeling in the right one.

He: I had no idea that manhole was uncovered when I opened the door to let you out. It was “Now I see you, now I don’t!”

She: I can’t believe the city worker thought that I was intentionally attacking him when I fell on his head in the manhole.

He: I think it must have been the scream. It had a kind of martial-arts sound to it. I tried to explain the situation to the officer, but he took one look at the car and just said, “Sure, Buddy.”

She: At least we got to spend our anniversary together—even if it was in jail. It was nice of your boss to bail us out. How did he know?

He: He said he saw us on the news.

She: We were on the news?

He: At 11:00 p.m. I had Mom tape it. They thought we were a part of the gang that has been threatening to bomb city hall. It was nice of my boss to pick us up. I hope he wasn’t upset about the bad publicity and all.

She: Are you kidding? He wasn’t mad. Why he even gave us a card. How sweet. Not many bosses remember their employee’s wedding anniversary. Such a nice man.

He: Oh, yeah. That was nice of him. I haven’t even opened it.

(Pulls the card out and opens it.)

He: Hmm . . . I guess he was mad, after all. He fired me.

She: Look at the bright side.

He: What?

She: We have some insurance money for the part of our house that caught fire when the garage door short-circuited the wiring in the garage.

He: The neighbors said their kids really enjoyed seeing the fire trucks. I should have been here to put out the fire.

She: But Honey, you couldn’t be. We were in jail.

He: I know. I know. . .

She: But look at it this way: things could be worse.

He: They could?

She: We could be bitter toward each other.

He: Yep. We could be heading for divorce court, like the boss and his wife.

She: You could be in love with another woman. We could be so wealthy that we think more about money than we do about each other.

He: We could be lonely . . .

She: We could be lost right now, with no faith in Christ.

He: I guess you’re right . . . You’re always right.

(They kiss.)

She: That’s because I’m with you. God knew what He was doing when He put us together.

He: (down about himself) Yeah . . . sure.

She: I’m serious. Look, we can still enjoy our night.

He: But we don’t have any money. I lost my job, our car, half of our house—there’s really nothing to enjoy.

She: Sure there is. We have each other. Hey, I have something for you.

(She pulls a CD or a cassette from her purse.)

He: ”The Best of Glen Miller and the Big Band Sound!” I’ve been looking all over town for this one.

She: I know.

(She sticks it in the boom box. They sit close and hold hands, listening to “String of Pearls.”)

She: I’ve been saving this for a special occasion.

He: I think this would definitely rate as a special night.

She: I love you.

He: I love you. Happy anniversary.

She: Happy anniversary. Let’s go to bed and enjoy the stars through our new skylight.

He: Skylight?

She: The fire burned a hole through the ceiling in our bedroom. I’ve always wanted one of those.

He: You have? Well, tomorrow, Sweetheart, I’m going to get a window kit at the hardware store and install a skylight permanently.

She: But we’ve got to plead not guilty at our arraignment for the terrorism charge.

He: Oh yeah, I forgot. (beat) Did I hear thunder?

Beloved Remember (God Says)

There is no place you can be that I can’t find you. I am the Master of the landscape, and I know your location. So don’t spend your time searching for hideouts and closets. You can never be so enslaved that My love can’t set you free. I break through iron, and I demolish the chains. I am greater than the chains, the whips, and the pain. I am ready to set you free. Just fix your eyes on Me and not your captors. You may be making history through personal glory or failure, but never forget that I will have the last word. You think you know Me? Take your present knowledge of who I am and then enhance it dramatically and that will be a start. I am greater than anything you ask or imagine or dream or think. Asking a human to describe My power is like asking a cow to do algebra. Just wait with expectation. Unlike you, nothing catches Me by surprise. I saw everything–I speak of your future before you have experienced it. You can believe Me and trust that I don’t wring My hands every time you mess up. You are human. Just keep chasing after Me and loving Me passionately. I will cover you. You think I’m not involved sometimes when things aren’t perfect. But I am there. I am in the furnace with you, and neither one of us should fear the flame. You shouldn’t because I created everything, and My plan is greater than all this. Fix your eyes, your voice your everything upon My existence, and I’ll see you at the house. Be Mine.

Celebrating God’s Love

The following is a simple reading for three people (or it could be done with one reader).  I was inspired to write this by the Matt Redman Song “You Never Let Go”

1:  God’s love never fails.

2:  It is astounding,

3:  resounding,

1:  and completely confounding .

3:  It never finds the end of itself.

2:  It redeems,

1:  restores,

3:  and repairs.

2:  Higher than all the works of man. His opus grand, his open hand.

1:  It crashes through the gates of hell.

3:  No sweeter story tongue may tell.

2:  It is before time and space.

1:  A continuum of grace.

3:  It fears no devil, no king, or foe.

2:  It sees us- every part of us- the brokenness in the heart of us and it will not depart from us.

1:  It resolves the mystery.

3:  It absolves my history.

2:  It never, ever lets go.

All:  It is simple, good and steadfast.

3:  Nothing can outlast this love because it is stubborn in it’s intent. It doesn’t change and will not relent.

1:   It is not capricious, whimsical or flighty.

3:  It is the love of God Almighty.

2:  It is a real as rocks, as right as rain.

1:  It is satisfies, clarifies, and sanctifies.

3:  It is not earned.

1:  There is nothing in the universe like the mighty love of God.

Amazing Grace

Use these monologues in between singing the verses of “Amazing Grace! How Sweet the Sound,” No. 330, The Baptist Hymnal, 1991. Costumes are not necessary. This could be done as a reading.

Soldier: I looked at Him as He died on that hill. The passion, the sorrow, the love in His eyes consumed me. My comrades hurled insults and cast lots for His clothes—the only possessions of His young life. I executed Pilate’s judgments for years, but never like this. Amazing, the strength and power this man displayed, and now, so willingly, He laid it all down. I saw His works, His healing power. Now I’m forced to expedite the will of a wicked ruler. I stand before the King of creation. Surely this man is the Son of God!

Criminal: I looked over at Him as I gasped for air. I had no right to address Him. I deserved death; this man had done nothing wrong. I knew my time would soon come to an end. I turned my head to look at Him, and I found Him looking at me. He smiled. A man, who had been beat- en beyond human recognition, looked at me and smiled, as if He knew the end was near. I called out to Him and asked Him to do what seemed unthinkable: “‘Remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” He smiled through the torment of the dying day. “‘Today you will be with me in paradise.’” Moments later I saw Him once more. Not as a dying, tortured victim, but the ruling Lord of creation. And what’s more amazing, He reached out and brought me home.

John the Beloved: His eyes were fixed upon me just before He drew His last breath. Why could I not see what was happening at that moment? I heard Him say, “‘It is finished.’” A term that a merchant would use to close a sale. Now I understand. Isaiah’s words came rushing in: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities.” I understood at that moment why He did it. That’s why He didn’t resist the scourging and the nails. It was for me.

Scripture: Luke 23:42-43; John 19:30; Isaiah 53:5

(c) Matt Tullos

Prayer for Identity

God sees us as we are.We are being transformed.

Father, I thank you that you have given us a different way to live our lives. We realize that the battle for our lives is really a battle for identity. We often see ourselves as insufficient, cursed and unsatisfactory.

We know that’s not the way you see us.

You see us wrapped in your righteousness.

prepared for your purpose

Eternally important

And deeply loved

How can this be?

Is your love, grace and freedom really that strong?

Strong enough to know us, claim us, redeem us and empower us?

Who are we that you would care for us like that?

Who are we that you would choose us?

Who are we that you would place your holy hands on us?

Enter into our story and make it a part of Your story?

Lord, outside of You we are a vanishing vapor, a fleeting flower… here today, gone tomorrow.

But in your words you say that we are valuable

We are chosen

We are Yours forever.

We are set apart

Help us to live with that perspective.

Help us, as difficult as it seems some days, to live in the love that sent a sinless Savior to a dying world to claim us as yours.